OLYMPIA – The Governor’s Mansion Foundation will host a special “1909 Housewarming History” presentation during its Wednesday Mansion tours January 8 and 15, 2020. Visitors will meet “Zephorena Cosgrove”; wife of Washington Governor Samuel Cosgrove and then will take a guided tour of the Mansion by Foundation docents. Cosgrove served as the sixth governor of the state of Washington and was a U.S. Civil War veteran and educator. Unfortunately, Governor Cosgrove became very ill after his fall election and died two months after his January inauguration — never living in the Mansion. Concluding the tour and in the ballroom, Mrs. Cosgrove’s presentation will highlight the events in January 1909 when the then new Governor’s Mansion opened its doors to dignitaries and Olympia residents for the first time.

Mansion tours are on a first-come, first-served basis. Each tour is open to 25 guests and times are 1:00, 1:20 and 1:40 p.m. Reservations MUST be made at least 24-hours in advance. To make a reservation go to https://apps.des.wa.gov/Mansion/Mansion.aspx . For questions or additional information, please contact the State Capitol Tour Office at (360) 902-8880.

Adult tour guests must present photo identification and all visitors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. No umbrellas, strollers, or food/drink will be allowed on the tour. The Mansion is accessible to wheelchairs and walkers. Visitors must walk a 200-yard incline up to the entrance.

Visitors to the Georgian-style mansion, situated on a bluff overlooking Capitol Lake, Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, will get a 30-minute walking tour of the Mansion. The circa-1908 Mansion is the oldest building on Olympia’s Capitol Campus. Visitors will get guided tours of the Mansion’s permanent collection of antique furnishings and Northwest artwork, including the renowned wall-size murals of Washington scenes in the state dining room.

The Governor’s Mansion Foundation, an all-volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan organization, hosts weekly tours of the Mansion on most Wednesdays (except holidays and the month of August).  To learn more on becoming a “Friend of the Mansion”, or for more information on the GMF, visit www.wagovmansion.org.